South Bend

About South Bend

The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663 and Combined Statistical Area of 544,582. It is the fourth largest city in Indiana and the economic and cultural hub of the Michiana region, with the University of Notre Dame located just to the north in unincorporated Notre Dame, Indiana. The area was originally settled in the early 18th century by fur traders, and established as a city in 1865. The St. Joseph River shaped South Bend's economy through the mid-20th century. River access assisted heavy industrial development such as that of the Studebaker Corporation, the Oliver Chilled Plow Company, and other large corporations.

Sign In To Your ChaCha Account

Sign Up for a ChaCha Account

Sign up for ChaCha and you'll be able to easily get answers from thousands of ChaCha Guides on the Web and on your mobile phone, see your answer history, and stay up to date with the latest updates from ChaCha.